Spot welding cap changer

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer ( 1 ) with a cap puller ( 2 ) and two cap magazines ( 3, 3 A), the cap puller ( 2 ) having a gripper ( 20 ) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws ( 21, 22 ), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines ( 3, 3 A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier ( 31 ) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop ( 32 ) by an advancing force (P).

The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer with a cap extractorand two cap magazines, the cap extractor having a gripper withspring-loaded, pivoting jaws, which in response to a turning and axialextraction movement detaches a spot welding cap of a pincer spot weldinghead inserted into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such away that it is clamped to prevent twisting,

and the cap magazines holding spot-welding caps in a cap carrier in sucha way that they are circularly arranged in a directed and orientedmanner and are one by one transported by an advancing force against astop, into an access position allowing to attach them axially to thefree shaft of the pincer and to extract them with it.

Such a mechanical electrode cap changer is known from the DE 102 22 248A1. It has a two-part cap extractor, accessible from both sides, in abody separate from the magazine.

Since gravity causes the caps to slide against a cap stop, the devicecan only be operated stationary in the vicinity of a mobile weldingrobot. Changing caps at a stationary pincer spot welding head, to whicheach component is fed by a robot for welding, is therefore not possible.The pincer spot welding heads/welding installations often have shortshafts, which are for instance curved, so that the cap extractor,equipped with three large jaws and accordingly big, cannot be positionedfor extraction.

It is the object of the invention to provide for an automatic faster andsafer exchange of the spot welding caps both at mobile and stationaryspot welding installations with a short access distance.

The solution resides in that

the cap extractor has two opposed grippers, each with jaws that are openat their ends and can be rotated towards each other with approximatelyparallel toothed grip surfaces whose distance is slightly smaller than adiameter of a spot welding cap, and each cap magazine contains a capcarrier, which, driven by a spring box, presses by way of its advancingforce one of the caps respectively against the stop, and in the accessposition a rim overlap overlaps the cap on one side.

Advantageous forms of the invention are indicated in the subclaims.

In the new embodiment the cap extractor and the magazine are mounted ona support which preferably is spring-mounted. In contrast to the knownsystem, the new construction design gives the possibility not only to beused at welding robots, but also at stationary pincer welding heads orwelding installations.

Compared with the known clamping system with three jaws, the newcap-extraction installation provides for shorter clamp and spin travels,therefore much shorter intervals for detaching the caps. Moreover, fromthe smaller design results a wider array of application, for instance atnon-standard pincers or very short, curved shafts.

The two cap extractors are each open at the ends of the jaws and thusaccessible to a cap. The jaws grip it directly by way of the undersizeof their distance and detach the cap, whereby a rotation around an angleof about 30-60° suffices. This way a cap change is possible even inextremely narrow confines. Since the two grippers are oriented inopposite directions, respectively one of them is accessible from thevarious sides in a clockwise rotation, so that no turning of the pinceris necessary, even if the pincer shafts are screwed on.

Furthermore, the round magazine is much more compact than the straightmagazine functioning by gravity of the known installation. It can beheld and operated in any position because of the spring drive.

Furthermore, the two round magazines arranged on parallel axes providein each case for an access with short radial travel to the accesspositions in the access openings. In an embodiment with a magazinecover, this cover is directly shifted during access, far enough to letthe rim overlap uncover the cap frame, so that the detaching ispossible. The example shows a radial infeed and an axial access of theshafts into the magazine.

Both partial devices, the cap changer, and the cap magazine, are mountedon a support close to one another, and thus can be set up stationary, ormounted to a robot arm in a fixed or detachable manner. In the firstcase the welding robot changes the caps of its own pincer, and in thesecond case the robot changes the caps at the stationary pincers orinstallations respectively by means of the device. The changing deviceat the robot arm is movably mounted, constantly ready for operation in afree space next to the gripper of the robot or on a guide rail, or it islocated in a parking position, where it can be picked up and brought tooperation by the gripper; this is called alternating pincer principle.

Advantageously, cap sensors are arranged on the device, which indicatewhether a cap is in place or not. Moreover, the charging level of themagazines is monitored. This way it is ensured that after a cap change acap is in place at the shaft of the pincer welding head before thecooling water is switched on. Furthermore it can be verified, whetherthe old cap was removed, when it is reported that there is no cap inplace while the shaft is approaching.

The embodiment of the cap magazine without a cover holds the weldingcaps in an elastic cap carrier in a close fit, axially movable bypropulsive or tractive force.

Advantageous embodiments are represented in the FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 shows the entire device schematically and in perspective;

FIG. 2 shows a transparent top view of the cap extractor;

FIG. 2A, 2B show detailed enlargements of the grip surfaces;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective of the cap extractor;

FIG. 4 shows a cap magazine in perspective, closed, enlarged

FIG. 5 shows a cap magazine in perspective, open, enlarged

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the magazine cover.

FIG. 1 shows a complete spot welding cap changer 1, which is movablyheld on a support rail 5 at a robot arm. Alternatively, it is firmlymounted with the mounting plate 50. The bilaterally equipped capextractor 2 is bolted at the free end of the mounting plate 50, with thetwo grippers 20 respectively on the sides, their direction opposite toone another. Pulled off caps K are depicted between the jaws 21, 22,after being detached at the rim of a storage container they drop intoit.

Offset to the rear from the cap extractor 2 respectively one capmagazine 3, 3A laterally offset to the other is mounted on the mountingplate 50, with the magazine cover 4 respectively directed laterally andthe access openings 40 oriented axially parallel to the extractedwelding caps K that are still held by the gripper, so that the shafts ofthe pincer spot welding head have to travel only short distances whilechanging the caps.

FIG. 2 shows a top view on the cap extractor 2, which consists of veryfew parts. The grippers 20 are composed of one fixed, toothed jaw 21respectively, and one jaw 22 which is mounted in such a way that it canbe pivoted towards said jaw 21. The pivot joint 24 is located behind thefixed jaw 21 by way of a U-shaped structure of the movable jaw arm 25,so that a cap K positioned in the gripper 20 will be clamped at a twistdepending on the direction of rotation.

The initial pressing force of the jaws 21, 22 is caused by a bracingspring 26, which for example, is formed as a spiral or bracing springwith spread ends, each pressing against a jaw arm 25.

On the infeed side the grippers 20 are provided with infeed skews 27,28. From these extend the roughly parallel grip surfaces 23, each with atoothing in opposite direction 29A, 29B, as FIGS. 2A and 2B show inpartial view and in detail. If there is no cap K inserted in thegrippers 20, then the distance A of the grip surfaces 23 has a minorundersize compared to the cap outside diameter D.

FIG. 3 shows that the spring 26 and the movable jaws 21, 22 as well as ajaw plate 62, on which the fixed jaws 21 are formed, are held betweentwo cover plates 60, 61. The jaw plate 62 has a corresponding cavity, inwhich the U-shaped jaw arms 22 have free space to move.

FIG. 4 shows a round cap magazine 3, which consists of a barrel shapedcap carrier 31, closed with a magazine cover 4, whereas a radial sectionremains free up to the rounded access opening 40, in which a welding capK in the withdrawal position is pressed to the edge of a stop 32 at thecover.

The cover 4 has a small rim overlap 41 of the cap frame in the curve ofthe access opening 40, an induct skew 42 connecting to said rim overlapwhich is cascaded to the top side of the cover. At an embodiment with ahinged cover 4, a slot 43 is formed, through which reaches a bracket 34,bevelled on the outside, which keeps the cover shut.

On the other side of the access opening 40 a hinge 44 with a slottedhole 45 is formed in the extension level of the cover, the cones 46 ofsaid hinge being held in a hinge support 47.

FIG. 5 shows the open round magazine 3 with a hinge and equipped with awelding cap K in the drill holes 30 of the cap carrier 31, the cap Kprotruding by a few millimeters. A firmly mounted spring box 33,schematically depicted, is in the centre of the cap carrier 31, saidspring box carrying the bracket 34 so that it can be radially moved. Apreloaded spindle or spiral spring is arranged centrally in the springbox 33, one end of the spring being fixed to the spring box 33, theother to the cap carrier 31, so that the latter is pressed with atorsion force P in the direction of the stop 32, which extends radiallyon the magazine cover.

The plate-shape bracket 34 extends in a diagonal guiding slot on thecover of the spring box 33. In the closed state, as shown here, acompression spring arrangement 35, held in the cover, extends from thebracket 34 and is supported by means of a support pin 36 on the roundedhinge support 47, and presses the bracket 34 in the closed position, inwhich it overlaps the cover 4 in the closed state and holds the rimoverlap 41 in the overlap position, the cone 46 being in the rear stopposition in the slotted hole 45, as FIG. 1 shows. To open the cover 4,the bracket 34 is pushed back manually. Alternatively, the roundmagazine can be implemented without a hinge for the opening of thecover. In this case the cover is only held in a movable manner, so thatthe shaft of the pincer, when inserted, slides the cover by the skew 42to release the rim overlap.

FIG. 6 shows a top view on the magazine cover 4, whose main outlineconsists of two semi-circles with shifted centres M1, M2, whereby on oneside the access opening 40 extends in the direction of the centre, andon the opposite side the hinge 44 extends on the outside. The slot inthe cover 43 extends 4 in the central area in the direction between theaccess opening 40 and the hinge 44. The bracket 34 in the cover and inthe fixed spring box 33 is guided in this direction. The cover 4 isabout 15 mm high and largely hollow shaped and has a stiffening coverrim 48, which passes into the stop 32 and on the other side into thehinge 44. The cover 4 is lowered at the induct skew 42 by about 5 mm tothe infeed area. Internally, the cover surface drives the caps to thewithdrawal level when turned in the stop position. A chamber 49, whichcontains the compression spring arrangement 35, is represented with adashed outline.

The compact construction of the cap extractor with the magazines allowsfor a significant reduction of the changing times, for example, from 22to 17 sec, which corresponds to about 23%.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   -   1 spot welding cap changer    -   2 cap extractor    -   20 gripper    -   21, 22 jaws    -   23 grip surfaces    -   24 pivot joint    -   25 jaw arm    -   26 bracing spring    -   27, 28 infeed skews    -   29A, 29B toothing    -   3, 3A cap magazine    -   30 drill holes    -   31 cap carriers    -   32 stop    -   33 spring box    -   34 bracket    -   35 compression spring    -   36 support pin    -   4 magazine cover    -   40 access opening    -   41 rim overlap    -   42 induct skew on the cover    -   43 slot in the cover    -   44 hinge    -   45 slotted hole in the hinge    -   46 cones    -   47 hinge support    -   48 cover rim    -   49 compression spring chamber    -   5 support rail    -   50 mounting plates    -   60, 61 cover plates    -   62 jaw plate    -   A gripping jaw distance    -   D outside diameter of the caps    -   K cap    -   P advancing force    -   M1, M2 semicircle centres

The invention claimed is:
 1. A spot welding cap changer comprising: acap extractor having a gripper which in response to a turning and axialextraction movement detaches a spot welding cap of a pincer spot weldinghead inserted into the gripper from a shaft of the pincer spot weldinghead in such a way that the spot welding cap is clamped by the gripperto prevent the spot welding cap from twisting with respect to thegripper; and a cap magazine comprising: a spring for advancing the capsone by one; and a stop for successively retaining each cap in an accessposition at which one of the spot welding caps can be removed from thecap magazine; wherein, when the cap in the access position is removedfrom the cap magazine, the spring advances another one of the caps intothe access position; wherein the cap magazine is configured such that apincer spot welding shaft is inserted into a first spot welding cap in afirst direction and attaches to the spot welding cap and the pincer spotwelding shaft pulls the spot welding cap out in a second direction;wherein after being detached, the spot welding caps are dropped into astorage container; wherein the cap extractor is offset from the capmagazine; further comprising a cover that covers all but the cap in theaccess position, wherein the cover is directed laterally and the accessopening is oriented axially parallel to the welding caps; wherein thespot welding cap in the access position is pressed to the edge of thestop; wherein a height of the stop is less than a height of the spotwelding cap; wherein the cap magazine is held and operated in anyposition because of the spring drive; further comprising cap sensors forindicating whether a cap is in place or not, and for monitoring thecharging level of the magazine to ensure that after a cap change, a capis in place at the shaft of the pincer welding head; and wherein thesensors send a signal to a control device when a predetermined remainingquantity of spot welding caps is in stock in the cap magazine.
 2. Thespot welding cap changer of claim 1, wherein the cap magazine furthercomprises a cap carrier sized and shaped to receive a plurality of spotwelding caps.
 3. The spot welding cap changer of claim 1, wherein thecap magazine further comprises a circular cap carrier having holes sizedand shaped to receive a plurality of spot welding caps.
 4. The sportwelding cap changer of claim 1, wherein the first direction is co-axialwith the second direction.
 5. A cap magazine for spot welding capscomprising: a spring for advancing the caps one by one; and a stop forsuccessively retaining a spot welding cap in an access position at whichone of the spot welding caps can be removed from the cap magazine;wherein, when the cap in the access position is removed from the capmagazine, the spring advances another one of the caps into the accessposition; wherein the cap magazine is configured such that a pincer spotwelding shaft is inserted into a first spot welding cap in a firstdirection and attaches to the spot welding cap and the pincer spotwelding shaft pulls the spot welding cap out in a second direction;wherein after being detached, the spot welding caps are dropped into astorage container; wherein the cap extractor is offset from the capmagazine; further comprising a cover that covers all but the cap in theaccess position, wherein the cover is directed laterally and the accessopening is oriented axially parallel to the welding caps; wherein thespot welding cap in the access position is pressed to the edge of thestop; wherein a height of the stop is less than a height of the spotwelding cap; wherein the cap magazine is held and operated in anyposition because of the spring drive; further comprising cap sensors forindicating whether a cap is in place or not, and for monitoring thecharging level of the magazine to ensure that after a cap change, a capis in place at the shaft of the pincer welding head; and wherein thesensors send a signal to a control device when a predetermined remainingquantity of spot welding caps is in stock in the cap magazine.
 6. Thecap magazine of claim 5 further comprising a cap carrier sized andshaped to receive the plurality of spot welding caps.
 7. The capmagazine of claim 5 further comprising a circular cap carrier havingholes sized and shaped to receive the plurality of spot welding caps. 8.The cap magazine of claim 5, wherein the first direction is co-axialwith the second direction.
 9. A cap magazine for spot welding capscomprising: a spring for advancing the caps one by one; and a stop forsuccessively retaining a spot welding cap in an access position at whichone of the spot welding caps can be removed from the cap magazine;wherein, when the cap in the access position is removed from the capmagazine, the spring advances another one of the caps into the accessposition; wherein the cap magazine is configured such that a pincer spotwelding shaft is inserted into a first spot welding cap in a firstdirection and attaches to the spot welding cap and the pincer spotwelding shaft pulls the spot welding cap out in a second direction;further comprising a cover that covers at least some of the caps exceptfor the cap in the access position, wherein the cover is directedlaterally and the access opening is oriented axially parallel to thewelding caps; and wherein the spot welding cap in the access position ispressed to the edge of the stop; and wherein the cap magazine is heldand operated in any position because of the spring drive.
 10. The capmagazine of claim 9, wherein after being detached, the spot welding capsare dropped into a storage container.
 11. The cap magazine of claim 9,wherein the cap extractor is offset from the cap magazine.
 12. The capmagazine of claim 9, wherein a height of the stop is less than a heightof the spot welding cap.
 13. The cap magazine of claim 9 furthercomprising cap sensors for indicating whether a cap is in place or not,and for monitoring a charging level of the magazine to ensure that aftera first cap is pulled, a second cap is moved into the access position.14. The cap magazine of claim 9, wherein the sensors send a signal to acontrol device when a predetermined remaining quantity of spot weldingcaps is in stock in the cap magazine.
 15. The cap magazine of claim 9further comprising a cap carrier sized and shaped to receive a pluralityof spot welding caps.
 16. The cap magazine of claim 9 further comprisinga circular cap carrier having holes sized and shaped to receive aplurality of spot welding caps.
 17. The cap magazine of claim 9, whereinthe first direction is co-axial with the second direction.
 18. A spotwelding cap changer comprising: a cap extractor having a gripper whichin response to an extraction movement detaches a spot welding cap of apincer spot welding head inserted into the gripper from a shaft of thepincer spot welding head in such a way that the spot welding cap isclamped by the gripper; and a cap magazine comprising: a spring foradvancing the caps one by one; and a stop for successively retainingeach cap in an access position at which one of the spot welding caps canbe removed from the cap magazine; wherein, when the cap in the accessposition is removed from the cap magazine, the spring advances anotherone of the caps into the access position; wherein the cap magazine isconfigured such that a pincer spot welding shaft is inserted into afirst spot welding cap in a first direction and attaches to the spotwelding cap and the pincer spot welding shaft pulls the spot welding capout in a second direction; further comprising a cover that covers atleast some of the caps except for the cap in the access position,wherein the cover is directed laterally and the access opening isoriented axially parallel to the welding caps; and wherein the spotwelding cap in the access position is pressed to the edge of the stop;and wherein the cap magazine is held and operated in any positionbecause of the spring drive.
 19. The spot welding cap changer of claim18, wherein the cap magazine further comprises a cap carrier sized andshaped to receive a plurality of spot welding caps.
 20. The spot weldingcap changer of claim 18, wherein the cap magazine further comprises acircular cap carrier having holes sized and shaped to receive aplurality of spot welding caps.
 21. The sport welding cap changer ofclaim 18, wherein the first direction is co-axial with the seconddirection.
 22. The spot welding cap changer according to claim 18,wherein the gripper includes at least one moveable gripping element forengaging the spot welding cap.